The internationally acclaimed Visions du Réel has officially announced its lineup for the 57th edition, promising one of its most diverse and ambitious programmes to date. Set to take place in Nyon from April 17 to April 26 2026, the festival will showcase a powerful mix of emerging voices and established filmmakers from across the globe.
This year’s edition will feature an impressive 164 films representing a record 75 countries. Among them are 128 new productions, including 83 world premieres and eight international premieres. Notably, the lineup highlights 58 debut films, with 36 being feature length debuts, underlining the festival’s continued commitment to discovering fresh talent.
Festival organisers emphasized that the 2026 programme reflects growing international participation and broader storytelling perspectives. Regions such as Asia have a strong presence this year, alongside entries from countries less frequently represented in global festivals including Sudan Vietnam Indonesia Yemen and Palestine.
The event will open with a screening of Cover-Up by Oscar winning filmmaker Laura Poitras, setting the tone for a thought provoking cinematic experience. The lineup also includes notable titles such as Heat by Jacqueline Zünd and The History of Concrete by John Wilson along with several films that have already gained recognition at major festivals.
Artistic director Emilie Bujès highlighted that the growing number of participating countries and debut films reflects the festival’s mission to expand cinematic boundaries and support new creative voices.
Special guests for the 2026 edition include acclaimed filmmaker Kelly Reichardt, who will be honoured with a retrospective and a special presentation of her latest work The Mastermind. Filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa will also feature as a key guest at the event.
The festival will present multiple sections including International Feature Film Competition Burning Lights National Competition and curated segments such as Borderline Wide Angle and Highlights. These sections will explore a wide range of themes from social issues and political narratives to experimental storytelling and hybrid cinema formats.
With its rich lineup and global representation Visions du Réel 2026 continues to strengthen its position as one of the leading documentary film festivals in the world offering audiences a deep and diverse cinematic experience.
